Machine for grooving printing plates



- 1,616,256 c. A. ERI CSON MACHINE FOR GROOVING PRINTING PLATES Filed Auz. 29, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 5; M 61m, is

' Feb. .1 1927.

' -c. A. ERICSON MACHINE FOR GROOVING PRINTING PLATES s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 29, 1925 Feb 11,1927 4 lmazsa A. ERICSON' MACHINE FOR GROOVING PRINTING PLATES Filed Auez. 29, 1925 3 Sheets-SheetS Patented Feb. 1, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. ERICSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T OSCAR MEYER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MACHINE FOR GROOVING- PRINTING PLATES.

Application filed August 29, 1925.

An object of the invention is to provide a means which will facilitate grooving the inner circumference of curved printing plates or the like, though the machine mayal so be used to groove plates the surfaces which are plane as distinct from curved. The particular adaptation of the invention illustrated in the drawings herein is specific for the groovmg of curved printing plates, such plates as are used with so-called multigraph printing machines.

Reference is made to the pending application for U. S. Letters Patent, Ser. No. 50,186,

filed August 14, 1925. by Oscar Meyer. The Meyer application discloses a means for securing ribs to multigraph printing and other printing plates wherein a dovetail. groove is first; milled or cut into the inner circumference of the curved printing plate and a rib made of formed sheet material is then fitted into the groove so that the rib will become toall intents integral with the printing plate, so that it may be used as a temporary attaching means for rigidly securing the plate to the cylinder segment of the multigraph printing machine; the said segment having dovetail grooves with which the ribs of the printing plate are adapted to register into locking engagement when the plate has been cooperated with the cylinder segment.

The prime object of the present invention is to afford a rapid, and therefore cheap means for accurately and efficiently forming the said dovetail grooves in the printing plate, calling for the minimum of mechanical skill in carrying out the operation.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a front view of the machine with a portion of the base removed wherein the carriage is in its right-handposition.

Fig. 2 shows the same view as Fig. 1, but with the carriage moved to, its left-hand position.

Fig. 3 shows a section view at 33 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows an end View (looking from the right) of the carriage and its runway together with a portion of the machine base.

Fig. 5 shows a section. view of the carriage and gauge in cooperation with the Serial No. 53,316.

grooving saws or cutters: the carriage being positioned as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 shows a top view of the gauge shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5.

Fig. 7 shows an end view of a portion of a curved printing plate which has been grooved and the rib fitted in place.

Fig. 8 shows the belting scheme used in the driving of the cutters by a motor.

Fig. 9 shows the relative cutting spheres of thetwo cutters 5 and 6, with particular reference to the opposite cutters removing; the edge burr made by the other:

With reference to Fig. 2, the base of the machine 1 is made of cored casting and carries an arm member 2, which is secured to the base by two machine screws 3; one screw being on the front, and one on the rear side, obscured from view. A set-screw 3 on the trout side and a correspondingly positioned like set screw at the rear serve as a means of adjusting the height of the cutters so as to vary the depth of dovetail groove cut by them.

The arm member 2 carries two cutters 5 and 6 which revolve in opposite directions; the direction of cutter 6 being indicated by the arrow. The cutters 5 and 6 are driven by. a common belt 7 operating over the cutter pulleys 10 and 11 and the idler pulley 12, driven by the motor pulley 13 on the electric motor 15. The motor 15 is secured to a hinged mounting plate 17 wherein two pins 18 and 19 serve as pivots for the plate 17 the lugs 21 and 22 being integral with the base of the machine. A screw 24: having a lock nut 25, is provided to adjust the space between the front edge of the mountmg plate 17 and the base portion. The said adjustment is to vary the position of the motor by gyrating it on the hinge pins 18 and 19 in order to adjust the tautness of the belt 7. The electric switch 27 mounted on the motor frame, serves to apply and remove electric energy with respect to the motor and therefore controls the starting and stop-- ping of the cutters 5 and 6 at will.

It will be noted with particular reference to Fig. 5 that the cutters 5 and 6 are mount ed on ball-bearing arbors 8 and 9 respectively, angularly disposed with respect to each other, and that the cutting teeth of the cutters and 6 are beveled inwardly so that the top cutting edge of both cutters is horizontal and that the cutting sphere of the cutters stagger beyond the plane of each other so that the two cutters together are adapted to cut a dovetail groove and each cutter remove the corner burr made by the other. The position of the cutters may be varied by varying the thickness of the washer 29; both cutters being similarly mounted on their arbors. The nut 30 serves to secure the cutter 5. Tne nut 31 similarly secures the cutter 6. The set-screws 3 serve to raise and lower the arm 2, before referred to.

The carriage 32 travels on a dovetail runway 33, shown in some detail in Fig. 4, on the top side of the base so that it has a right and left movement only. The carriage has a circular endwise opening adapted to permit the carriage to be moved to enclose the arm portion carrying the cutters 5 and 6. The carriage has a rack 34 on its underside which cooperates with a pinion 35. The pinion 35 is mounted on a shaft 36 which also carries a hand-wheel 37. Thus, by operating the hand-wheel 37 the carriage 32 p can be reciprocated at will along the runway 33.

The carriage 32 has a slot 40 lengthwise along its top. T heslot- 40 is beveled so that the exterior edge is narrower than the inside edge, as shown in Fig. 5, in order to accommodate the angularly disposed cutters 5 and 6. It will be noted with particular reference to Fig. 5, that the cutting edges of the cutters 5 and 6 project through the slot 40 above the top edge of the carriage when the carriage is positioned over the cutters. The carriage has a circular surface with a radius equal to the inside radius of the printing plate to be grooved; that is, the curved printing plate may thus be fittingly applied to the top curved surface of the carriage and the printing plate will not then have a movement with fitting relation to the surface of the carriage, other than in the plane defined by its radius. Interchangeable carriages (not shown) to accommodate printing plates having different curvatures are provided.

The operation of the machine in cutting a dovetail groove into the inside curved surface of a curved printing plate is as fol lows: Thecurved printing plate 41 to be grooved is placed loosely on the top of the carriage, bridging the slot 40 when the carriage is in the position shown in Fig. 1.

The gauge 42 shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is then placed over the plate. In this connection it y will be noted that the gauge 42 has a curvature, and that the curvature corresponds to the outside curvature of the printing plate 41 to be grooved. Also, that one end of the gauge 42 has a thicker shoulder portion 43'which has a curvature which corresponds to the radius of the outside surface of the carriage as well as the inside surface of the curved printing plate 41. That is, when the printing plate 41 is properly placed across the top of the carriage 32 and the gauge 42 is placed over the printing plate there is a concentric fitting relation existing between the top surface of the carriage 32, the printing plate 41 and the top surface of the carriage 32, the printing plate 41 and the gauge 42. It is now possible to revolve the gauge 42 and the printing plate part way around the surface of the carriage 32 while maintaining a fitting relation.

The gauge 42, preferably made of metal, has inwardly tapering grooves 44 on its periphery; the spacing being a multiple of the angular spacing of the dovetail grooves in the cylinder segment referred to in the cited pending application of Meyer.

By reference to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be noted that a clamp bar 45 is pivoted by a pin 46 between the lugs 47, made integral with the carriage, and that this bar may, therefore, be positioned out of the way as shown in Fig. 1, or in its operated position as shown in Fig. 2. hen in the operated position its fitting tapered lower edge 48 registers with the inwardly tapering grooves 44. Thus, if the printing plate 41 is first adjusted with an edge against the inside edge of the shoulder portion 43 and the plate and gauge then moved together in their relative said adjusted positions until the printing plate is given a position so a groove 44 registers in alignment over the center of slot- 40 of the carriage, the clamp bar 45 may be swung into the position shown in Figs. 2 and 5 and the gauge and printing plate will then be positioned so that a dovetail groove may be thereafter cut directly under the groove 44, over the slot 40. Therefore, the operator in positioning the gauge and printing plate adjusts a groove 44 which is nearest the point of the printing plate desired grooved so that it will register with the bar 45. Usually but two grooves are desired in the printing plate, so that one of the grooves will be placed near the edge of the printing plate against the shoulder portion 43; the first groove 44 from the left hand end of the gauge shown in Fig. 5, for example. This will adaptthe plate to have a dovetail groove cut as indicated by groove 49.

If it is assumed that the printing plate and gauge are positioned so the left-hand groove 44 is positioned over the slot 40 and the bar 45 is registered, the clamp-lever 50, having a roller 51, is gyrated to the right so that the roller 51 will engage the excentric curved top edge 52 of the end of the bar 45 and through the leverage condition produced cause the taper edge 48 of the bar to be forcibly set as a clamp lever into the registering tapered groove l4 nearest the left-hand edge of the gauge 42. The printing plate is now ready to be grooved. The operator now turns the hand wheel 37 to the left so that its attached pinion cooperating with the rack 35 will move the carriage to the left until. the printing plate has passed both cutters. after which the carriage is returned to starting position as shown in Fig. l by turning the handwheel 37 to the right.

The operator now disengages the clamplever from the clamp bar 45 and then disengages the clamp bar from the gauge groove aid. The printing plate and gauge is now revolved about the circular carriage face as an axis while maintaining the edge of the printing plate against the shoulder portion 43 until a gauge groove 44 located approximately the same distance from the other edge of the printing plate as the gauge groove 44 last employed comes over the slot 4.0, when the clamp-bar 45 is again operated so its edge 4.8 registers into the last said gauge groove 4.4. The clamp-lever 50 is now operated as before to again rigidly secure the printing plate and the gauge, after which the carriage is operated as before to cause a dovetail groove to be cut in the underside of the printing plate 41 below the clamp-lever. It will be clear that the spacing of the dovetail grooves cut into the printing plate are a multiple of the spacing of the dovetail grooves in the seg ment of the cylinder of the printing machine referred to in the cited application for patent by Meyer. The printing plate and the gauge may now be removed and the rib member inserted as set forth in the cited Meyer application for patent.

The members 55 are a cast metal guard to protect the operator from the cutters in the event the carriage is moved to its extreme right or left hand position.

It is to be understood that the invention is capable of detailed modification, without departing from its scope as defined by the subjoined claims,

1. In a machine for cutting grooves in printing plates or the like, a pair of independently revolving cutters, a carriage for bearing a said plates over the cutters, a gauge for holding the plate in predetermined position with respect to the carriage, a plurality of parallel grooves in the gauge for determining said position at will, a slot in the carriage, means for adjusting the gauge so a slot of the gauge registers in a predetermined manner with the slot of the arriage, a locking bar cooperative with one of said grooves for rigidly securing the gauge to the carriage, a track for the carriage, and means whereby when the carriage is then moved along the track the carriage registers with the cutters and the cutters will thereby cut a dovetail slot in the underside of the plate in a line determined by the groove in the gauge.

2. In a machine for cutting grooves in printing plates or the like, a pair of independently revolving cutters, a carriage for bearing a said plate in operative relation to the cutters, a gauge for holding the plate in predetermined position, plurality of parallel grooves in the gauge for determining said position with respect to the carriage at will, a slot in the carriage, means including a said groove for adjusting the gauge so a groove otthe gauge registers in a predetermined manner with the slot of the carriage, a locking bar for rigidly securing the gauge in predetermined position to the carriage, a track for the carriage, and means whereby when the carriage is then moved along the track the carriage rigisters with the cutters the cutters will thereby cut a dovetail slot in under side of the printing plate in a line determined by the groove in the gauge.

3. In a machine for cutting grooves latorally along the inside curvature oi a curved plate, a carriage having a curved outside surface, a track runway for the carriage, a slot lengthwise of the carriage, a rigidly posit oned cutter registering with said slot for effecting a groove, a gauge having a curvature approximately concentric with the outside face of the carriage for holdingsaidplate in bridge of the slot and immovable with respect to the gauge, grooves lateral with respect to the curvature of the gauge, a clamp lever for registering with a random one of the grooves of the gauge for rigidly securing the plate to the carriage and for thereby rigidly positioning the gauge and plate in bridge of the slot in accordance with the groove used, whereby as the carriage is moved along the track the cutter will effect a groove in the inside curvature of the plate lateral with its curvature and parallel with the line of the track and positioned in accordance with the groove of the gauge cooperated with the clamp lever.

at. In a machine for cutting grooves laterally along the inside curvature of a curved plate, a carriage having a curved outside surface, a track runway tor the. carriage, a slot lengthwise of the carriage, a rigidly positioned cutter registering with said slot for effecting a groove, a gauge having a curvature approximately concentric with the outside "face of the carriage for holding said plate in bridge of the slot and immovable with respect to the gauge, a groove lateral with respect to the curvature of the gauge, a. clamp lever for registering with the groove of the gauge for rigidly securing the plate to the carriage and for thereby rigidly posi-c iii) no u

tioning the gauge and plate in bridge of the slot, whereby as the carriage is moved along the track the cutter will effect a groove in the inside curvature of the plate lateral with its curvature.

5. in a machine for cutting dovetail grooves laterally along the inside curvature of a curved plate, a carriage having av curved outside surface, a track runway for the carriage, a slot lengthwiseot' the carriage, a rigidly positioned cutter registering with said slot tor eltectiug a groove, :1 gauge having a curvature approximately concentric with the outside face of the carriage for holding said plate in bridge of the slot and immovable with respect to the gauge, grooves lateral with respect to the curvature of the gauge, a clamp lever for registering with a random one of the grooves of the gauge for rigidly securing the plate to the carriage and tor thereby rigidly positioning the gauge and plate in bridge of the slot in accordance with the slotsed, whereby as the carriage is moved along the track the cutter will effect a dovetail groove in the inside curvature Ofl the plate lateral with its curvature and parallel with the line of the track and radially positioned in accordance with the groove ot the gauge cooperated with the clamp lever.

6. In a machine for cutting grooves later ally along the underside ot a plate, a carriage having a surface for receiving the underside of the plate, a track runway for the carriage, a slot lengthwise of the carriage, a rigidly positioned cutter registering with said slot for effecting a groove, a gauge having a face for fitting with the face of the carriage for holding said plate in bridge of the slot and immovable with respect to the gauge, a groove lateral with respect to the face side of the gauge, a clamp lever for registering with the groove of the gauge or rigidly securing the plate to the carriage and for thereby rigidly positioning the gauge and plate in bridge of the slot, whereby as the carriage is moved along the track the cutter will effect a groove in the underside of the plate in the direction of the bridged carriage slot.

7. In a machine for cutting grooves laterally along the inside curvature of a curved plate, a plate holder having a curved outside surface, a slot lengthwise ot the plate holdor, a cutter registering with said slot for effecting a groove, a gauge having a curvature ap roximately concentric with the outside face of the plate holder for holding said plate in bridge of the slot and immovable with respect to the gauge, grooves lateral with respect to the curvature of the gauge, a clamp lever for registering with a random one oil? the grooves of the gauge for rigidly securing the plate to the plate holder and for thereby rigidly positioning the gauge and the plate in bridge of the slot in accordance with the slot used, whereby responsive to a movement relative between the cutter and the plate holder will thereby effect a groove in the inside curvature of the plate lateral with its curvature and radially poitioned in accordance with the groove of the gauge cooperated with the clamp lever.

8. In a machine for cutting grooves laterally along the underside of a plate, a plate holder having a surface for receiving the underside of the plate, a slot lengthwise of the plate holder, a cutter registering with said slot for effecting a groove, a gauge hav mg a "face for fitting with the face of the plate holder for holding said plate in bridge of the slot and immovable with respect to the gauge, a groove lateral with respect to the face of the gauge, a clamp lever registering with the groove of the gauge for rigidly positioning the gauge and plate in bridge of the slot in accordance with the groove, whereby as the plate holder is moved with respect to the cutter the cutter will thereby efi'ect a groove in the under side of the plate.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this th day of August,

CHARLES A. ERIGSON. 

